Speech by President of the Government at ceremony for pledge of allegiance at Academy for Ordinary Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers of the Guardia Civil

Baeza, Jaén (Spain)

Your Excellency, the Minister for Defence, your Excellency, the Minister for Home Affairs, your Excellency, the Director-General of the Guardia Civil, your Excellency, the Lieutenant General and Operating Assistant Director of the Guardia Civil, illustrious Colonel and Director of Baeza Academy, illustrious Mayor of Baeza, public officials, ladies and gentlemen,

Not so long ago I once more had the honour of being invested as the President of the Government and I wanted one of my first public appearances to be at this pledge of allegiance.

By sharing such an emotional moment with you, I not only wanted to make the key importance of the Guardia Civil for Spain clear, but I also wanted to express all my gratitude, recognition and unconditional support to the men and women that form this corps. At the same time, I also wanted to congratulate those who have pledged their allegiance to the flag that represents one of the most important countries in the world: Spain.

I am not talking about gratitude in vain, because it is not by chance that the Guardia Civil deservedly continues to be the public institution that the Spanish people place most trust in. Both in times of crisis and in boom periods, the Guardia Civil has continued to show its effectiveness and its proximity in serving our citizens. That is why it has gained the mutual understanding, admiration, respect and affection, not only of the authorities and the government, but also of civil society in our country. And the very least I can do is to express my heartfelt congratulations.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Guardia Civil has an extraordinary past, we all know that, but we also have before our eyes the living proof of a future which is no less splendid. This future is assured and it will be the one built by men and women such as those of this 122nd Promotion, which, with 1,559 members, is the largest since 2010. Today, 966 of them stand here before us, all of them filled with hope and busting with enthusiasm, after having signed up a permanent commitment to serve Spain and the Spanish people, taking the oath of allegiance before our flag.

This is undoubtedly the most significant and serious moment in the professional life of a Guardia Civil officer, since you are now, as from today, members in your own right of this exemplary corps that is recognised the world over. In exchange, as laid out in the key regulations on the conduct of its members, you are henceforth under an obligation to be permanently available to defend Spain and to protect the exercise of rights and liberties of its citizens, and to assume every effort to preserve their security and well-being, and precisely carry out your duties and obligations, through a sense of honour, the true hallmark of the Guardia Civil.

Through this act, you thus impose upon yourselves a model of detached yet benevolent conduct, willing to do good yet predisposed, should the moment arise, to make a sacrifice for others. In short, this is a gesture of commitment to Spain and to the Spanish people; a commitment we are all aware of and that makes us all proud of, and which is an exemplary milestone that in these times is more necessary than ever.

Dear Guardia Civil officers,

You should know that you do not stand alone in your task. We live in a country that is committed and supportive. Evidence of that are the 5 million Spaniards that carry out voluntary work every day, our leading position on organ donation, the courageous commitment to those who most need our missionaries and volunteer workers, or the sensitivity with which our society takes in and integrates immigrants and asylum-seekers.

Further evidence of this is what we have seen here today: all these people who have stood before our common flag this morning, driven by a noble sense of fidelity and loyalty to Spain; a feeling that exteriorises none other than their desire to make a commitment to this wonderful country and to the people who live here.

And let's not kid ourselves. This future project called Spain needs this noble commitment from everyone. That is why this commitment, with H.M. the King at the forefront, made by so many people today, both young and old, fills us with hope; a commitment made with this great collective effort of building a Spain that is constantly improving and fairer.

In the case of the Guardia Civil, as members of an institution of a military nature, this cry of affirmation is sheathed in symbolic value and is strengthened through tradition.

The outstanding presence here of our National Flag evokes great symbolism, in the awareness that by having this flag bear witness to their oath or promise means accepting and interiorising the lofty ideals it represents because our flag symbolises our nation and is a sign of the sovereignty of the Spanish people, of the independence, unity and integrity of the country and represents the higher values expressed in our Constitution.

The Spanish Flag reminds us of our triumphs, our ideals and our aspirations. It reminds us of a long history of assertion and identity and also of our future project. That is why respecting this symbol means respecting our very selves and cherishing what we are as a country and as a society, since the flag is the foundation of every way of feeling Spanish, in line with a diversity that fills us with pride and marks our identity.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Traditions, as I said, are also present in their recently acquired commitment to service. As from today, you will undoubtedly remember the legacy of the Guardia Civil officers who, after adquiring this commitment, faithfully kept their word and laid down their life for Spain. They form part of the most glorious tradition of this corps and, as an example of life and of service, will remain in our memories forever.

At this time of remembrance, special mention should be made of the 243 Guardia Civil officers that were murdered at the hands of terrorists. That is why I wish to emotionally remember a day like today, 17 December, back in the year 2002, when a young Guardia Civil officer, Antonio Molina Martín aged 27, died, murdered at the hands of the terrorist group ETA close to Madrid at a post in Collado-Villalba after standing here, like you, at this same training centre, just a few years earlier.

We will hold him and so many other very present in our memory. It is always necessary to remember, because the ethical example of victims deserves our full devotion and our empathy; we must stand with them, take on the obligation, the commitment and the moral duty to always have them present and to contemplate their sacrifice and commitment with the emotion this merits.

I will end these words by expressing my warm affection to those families who look on you today full of emotion and pride, and ask all of you young Guardia Civil officers, to persevere, to exercise your will and your endeavours every day, to live each duty intensely, to always have Spain in your hearts and be aware of how much you represent for everyone.

If you do this, as expressed in your oath or your promise, your country will be grateful and reward you.

Thank you very much.